A routine night on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway turned dramatic early Tuesday (Oct. 7) when a motorist ran into the side of the bridge, got out of his car and jumped off the southbound span. After initially grabbing a life ring that was tossed to him, the man inexplicably let go, forcing Causeway Police Cpl. Tate Gallo to go into the lake to rescue the man, authorities said.

The unidentified motorist was eventually hoisted onto the bridge in a rescue basket. He was taken to St. Tammany Parish Hospital.

"This guy owes his life to Tate, as far as I'm concerned," bridge General Manager Carlton Dufrechou said later Tuesday.

The motorist entered the bridge shortly before 1 a.m. and a toll plaza attendant on the north shore noticed something unusual about the man's behavior and mannerisms, Dufrechou said. The worker notified police that they might want to monitor the motorist, and officers caught up with him about two miles onto the bridge.

The man's car struck the bridge railing and he got out and jumped off the east side of the bridge, landing in the water between the two Causeway spans, Dufrechou said. "It caused everybody to get alarmed at that point."

Bridge officials notified the Coast Guard and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office while officers tried to keep an eye on the motorist. A life ring was tossed to the man, and he initially grabbed it and held on, Dufrechou said.

"For reasons unknown at this point, he let it go."

Police lost sight of the man for a bit, then spotted him again. Gallo climbed down a rope ladder and went into the lake after the motorist.

The man was face down and floating, Dufrechou said, and Gallo was able to pull him onto the life ring. Gallo maneuvered the man to the rope ladder and waited for the rescue basket to be lowered.

The motorist was conscious when pulled up to the bridge deck, Dufrechou said. A fire department EMS crew took him to the hospital.

Dufrechou said he doesn't know why the man jumped or whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.

He didn't know what made the toll plaza attendant alarmed about the motorist. "She felt something wasn't right with this fellow."

The southbound span was closed for about 50 minutes because of the incident.